When developing this blade with Welch Allyn in 1941, Dr. Miller was attempting to overcome four major shortcomings of existing straight blades. The first was the height of the proximal portion of the blade, which he reduced by compressing the "C" shaped cross-section into a modified "D" shape. This change helped to prevent dental trauma and allowed intubation of patients with small oral openings. Second, because most blades were curved distally only at the tip, they did not facilitate "lifting" of the epiglottis. This problem was solved by starting the curve 2" back from the tip, providing a positive lifting action. Third, existing blade styles were wide distally; this limited the manageability of the instrument, prohibiting intubation. Therefore, the Miller blade was designed with a narrow tip. Finally, the tongue or base of the Miller blade was rounded to prevent pushing the tongue into the floor of the mouth.

In 1990, Welch Allyn modified the Miller blade to improve its functionality and field of view. First, the base or tongue of the blade was flattened so that the tongue could be "swept" aside, rather than compressed. This was implemented due to the present technique of "sweeping" the tongue rather than compressing. The flat base helps to hold the tongue out of the field of view. Overall field of view was increased by modifying the cross-sectional area of the blade without altering width or height. This resulted in a larger field of view.

Warranty: Welch Allyn will repair or replace, free of charge, any parts of its own manufacture proven to be defective through causes other than misuse, neglect, damage in shipment, or normal wear.

Condition: New Shipping Weight: 2lb

This item will be shipped from the manufacturer and is not one we carry in stock. Please contact us for availability, as we cannot always guarantee order fulfillment.